IDF ‘Easy Riders’ in Case of Traffic Jams

The IDF is hauling back out the motorcycles for use in case of national disasters that might cause traffic jams and delay soldiers.

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyhu

First Publish: 4/30/2012, 5:44 PM

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The IDF is hauling the motorcycles back out in case of national disasters that might cause traffic jams and delay soldiers. The two-wheeled vehicles will be deployed in national emergencies, according to Israel Defense.

The Center for Resource Recruitment and Economic Immobilization at the Technological and Logistics Directorate will direct the mobilization of the cycles.

Military officials decided 10 years on the mobilization of motorcycles ten years ago, but the idea was dropped following criticism.

Highways are much more crowded today, and a national disaster could bring the nation to a standstill if thousands of people flee homes or work places and hit the highway.

Israel Defense previously has reported that the Israeli Fire and Rescue Service has been examining the deployment of motorcycles for a first response to fire alarms until fire trucks can arrive at the scene of the blaze.

“It often takes the firefighter vehicles time to reach the site of a fire due to the traffic jams on Israel's roads,” according to Fire Chief Shahar Ayalon.